Symbolism is using one thing to stand for another thing — usually a concrete object standing for an idea you cannot see or touch. A dove for peace. A red rose for love. Black clothes for mourning.

SymbolismSymbolism（象徵手法） is using one thing指的是用一個東西 to stand for another thing去代表另一個東西——usually a concrete object通常是一個具體的東西 standing for an idea you cannot see or touch代表一個看不到、摸不到的概念。A dove一隻鴿子 for peace代表和平。A red rose一朵紅玫瑰 for love代表愛情。Black clothes黑色的衣服 for mourning代表哀悼。

The word covers both the practice ('the symbolism in her paintings is heavy') and the collection of symbols themselves ('the symbolism of the imperial court').

The word covers both這個字同時涵蓋兩種意思：the practice一種是這種手法本身 ('the symbolism in her paintings is heavy')（像「the symbolism in her paintings is heavy」，她畫裡的象徵手法很濃），and the collection of symbols themselves另一種是指象徵本身的集合 ('the symbolism of the imperial court')（像「the symbolism of the imperial court」，宮廷的一整套象徵）。

You meet it most in three places. In talking about art and literature: what the writer meant by the storm in chapter nine, why the caged bird keeps coming back. In talking about religion and ritual: the symbolism of water in baptism, the symbolism of the colours in a temple.

You meet it most你最常遇到它 in three places是在三種場合。In talking about art and literature講到藝術和文學的時候：what the writer meant by the storm in chapter nine像作者在第九章寫那場暴風雨到底是什麼意思，why the caged bird keeps coming back或者那隻籠中鳥為什麼一直反覆出現。In talking about religion and ritual講到宗教和儀式的時候：the symbolism of water in baptism像洗禮裡水的象徵意義，the symbolism of the colours in a temple或廟裡顏色的象徵意義。

And in talking about politics and public life, where the meaning shifts slightly toward gesture — 'the visit was pure symbolism' means the leader went there to be seen and to make people feel something, not to change anything. That third use is often mildly critical: symbolism as opposed to substance, the sign of an action instead of the action.

And in talking about politics and public life講到政治和公共生活的時候，where the meaning shifts slightly toward gesture意思會稍微偏向「做樣子」——'the visit was pure symbolism'像「the visit was pure symbolism」（這次訪問純粹是做樣子） means the leader went there to be seen意思是這位領袖去那裡是為了被看到，and to make people feel something讓大家有些感覺，not to change anything而不是真的要改變什麼。That third use這第三種用法 is often mildly critical常常帶一點批評的味道：symbolism as opposed to substancesymbolism跟substance（實質）相對，the sign of an action instead of the action是一個動作的樣子，而不是真的動作。

There is also a capital-S use: Symbolism was a movement in French poetry and painting in the late 1800s — Mallarmé, Verlaine, Redon — which tried to suggest feelings through images rather than state them directly. If you meet 'the Symbolists' in an art book, that is what it means, and the movement is why English later borrowed some of the word's fancier flavour from French.

There is also a capital-S use還有一種大寫S的用法：Symbolism was a movementSymbolism（象徵主義）是一個藝術運動，in French poetry and painting在法國的詩和繪畫裡，in the late 1800s十九世紀末——Mallarmé, Verlaine, RedonMallarmé、Verlaine、Redon這些人——which tried to suggest feelings through images這場運動想用意象去暗示情感，rather than state them directly而不是直接講出來。If you meet 'the Symbolists' in an art book如果你在藝術書裡看到「the Symbolists」（象徵主義畫家們），that is what it means講的就是這個，and the movement is why English later borrowed some of the word's fancier flavour from French而且英文後來從法文借來的那種比較「高雅」的味道，也是從這場運動來的。

Though actually — a caution students almost never get told. Symbolism is one of those words that makes people over-read. In a classroom it is easy to decide that every object in a story must stand for something, and that the author planted it there on purpose.

Though actually不過其實，a caution students almost never get told有一個學生幾乎都沒被提醒過的提醒。Symbolism is one of those wordsSymbolism是那種 that makes people over-read會讓人過度解讀的字。In a classroom在課堂上，it is easy to decide很容易就會認定 that every object in a story must stand for something故事裡的每一個物件一定都代表著什麼，and that the author planted it there on purpose而且是作者故意放進去的。

Sometimes yes. But writers also just need it to rain. Real symbolism usually announces itself by repeating, by getting more weight than the plot needs, or by fitting a pattern the culture already shares. One yellow curtain is a curtain.

Sometimes yes有時候的確是這樣。But writers also just need it to rain但有時候作者只是需要天氣下雨，沒有別的意思。Real symbolism真正的象徵手法 usually announces itself通常會自己顯現出來：by repeating靠反覆出現、by getting more weight than the plot needs或者份量超過劇情本身需要的、or by fitting a pattern the culture already shares或者剛好符合這個文化本來就有的某種模式。One yellow curtain一片黃色窗簾 is a curtain就只是一片窗簾。